Advances in processor, memory, network and telecommunication technologies, have led to a proliferation of media services. In addition to the traditional over-the-air broadcasting of radio and television signals, audio and video content (collectively “media content”) also are being delivered over cable, twisted pair, satellite, wireless, optical fiber, and via other mediums. Media content is available for the television, personal computer, mobile telephone, portable audio players and other devices using various protocols, such as digital audio access protocol, real data transport, DVB-IPI (open standard), variable audio distribution and interface system (VADIS), Windows Media video® (MSV), Windows Media audio® (MSA), and advanced systems format (ASF). On-demand video content (meant to include video content that also includes audio content) is available over cable, fiber, and via the internet. Streaming audio and video content is available via the internet. Video and audio recording devices allow content to be experienced immediately or at some time after delivery.
As a result of these technological advances, consumers have many more options for accessing and experiencing media content. Telecommunication carriers and mobile virtual network operators are beginning to offer revenue-generating, value-added content services, such as streaming audio and video and downloadable audio and video. For example, stock market information is available as real-time streaming content. Audio and video podcasts are available for download and playback.
These technological advances have been accompanied by increased consumer demand for these new forms of media delivery. Wireless carriers see potential profits for these new services. One of the challenges, however, for delivering media content wirelessly, is in providing sufficient network capacity to meet the consumer demands. While 3G technology, for example, may dramatically increase data rates available to an individual wireless user, such technology only modestly increases spectrum utilization efficiency. Accordingly, there is a need for an efficient system of delivering value-added media content to consumers.
With regard to the wireless telecommunications networks, network capacity can be increased by adding equipment to cell sites if sufficient unused spectrum is available or by building new cell sites. Another solution, as offered by this invention, is to make efficient use of network resources to deliver value-added consumer media services.
To date, terrestrial radio, television, digital radio, and other media services typically are not customized. Similarly, podcasts are not customized. As an example, in prior art media services a user typically tunes to a predefined channel and experiences a fixed media content programmed for a prescribed demographic audience. For example, all users who watch the same television channel experience the same programming. A solution of this invention is to provide individually customized content shaped by the user.
In addition, in broadcast media advertisers receive little or no direct information from users to improve their response rate or to tailor their advertising. In other words, advertisers often must estimate the effectiveness of advertisements for broadcast media. Thus, there is a need to provide more interactivity between users, advertisers, and the service provider, which may be provided by various embodiments of the present invention.
In addition, many other methods of delivering media content do not facilitate social networking or allow users to share content with each other. Further, in systems that do permit sharing, there often is a difficulty in managing digital rights of content providers.
These and other challenges of prior systems may be addressed by various embodiments of the present invention.